A Haunting Curse
by LKHanamura
Summary: <html><head></head>It is hard enough for Tohru to keep the entire Host Club away from the Sohma Family. Then she finds out that Akito is really a girl! But when a ghost takes Usachan, things go from bad to worse. What could happen next? A Ghost Hunting Team! Things are about to really get interesting. (Mai and Tohru are not the couple of the story. There are many couples but no same sex ones)</html>
1. Chapter 1

With a bright smile, Tamaki glided through the halls of Ouran. He just finished making the most perfect get away plans for the Host Club! It was the last day of school, and after today, Mitsukuni and Takashi were high school graduates! He wanted to do something that would be a last outing to remember and he came up with the perfect thing!

A week-long trip to a spa! He wanted one that was out of the way but not overly fancy, since he was going to take Haruhi as well as her dad. He wanted a commoners spa. And he found the best of the best of the commoners. It was owned by a large and middle class family called the Sohma's. But it was large, and beautiful and family owned and ran.

It would be a perfect atmosphere to just get away and relax and enjoy each other's company as they also celebrate the graduation of two of their Host Club Members. Going in his classroom he smiled as he waved at Kyoya. "Hey Kyoya. I have been thinking and we need to go on a trip."

"A trip? Where at? The last time you planned a trip for Spring Vacation to take Haruhi to France to meet your mother, she freaked out on the plan and we had to knock her out." Kyoya just gave him his classic emotionless look.

Laughing as he dropped his head, Tamaki put his hand on the back of his head. "Yeah I know that. This is domestic trip. I wanted to go to a spa."

"That actually sounds nice."

"But we aren't going to a rich spa. While that is what we are used too, I want to take Haruhi and her sweet transvestite father with us. I do not want them to feel left out or out of place. So I found the best of the best of the commoners spas to go to!"

Looking at him odd, Kyoya blinked. "What is it?"

"It is a privately owned spa by a large Second Class family called the Sohma's. I called this morning and they said that starting tomorrow for the next three weeks they have no visitors. So I booked us for the whole week!" Smiling as he crossed his arms Tamaki nodded his head. "That's right. This is going to be a week to remember!"

"Why do you have to do it tomorrow?"

His eyes going sad as he relaxed and sat down in his desk, Tamaki sighed. "It is just that after today, Mitsukuni and Takashi are going to be going off to Ouran College. That is on the other side of the city and we won't get to see them as much. I want to have one last trip with them with us. A way to relax, and enjoy each other's company before they have to focus on college."

With a smile Kyoya closed his eyes. "Alright. I am on board. But after the France trip you know you are going to have to go and formally invite Ryoji right?"

"I know that. I am going to do that when I take Haruhi home from school today."

X

"What?"

Nodding Tamaki smiled as he pulled a map down on the wall. "It is right here. It is out of the way and beautiful. Even Kyoya did his research on it. Didn't you Kyoya?"

Nodding as he fixed his glasses Kyoya closed his eyes. "Indeed. While they have a very young head of the family, they are prominent in their own right. Several are successful business owners. But the spa gets gracious reviews even from some first class."

"So are we going!?" When everyone threw their hands in the air and said yes together, Tamaki nodded as he smiled and put his arm around Haruhi. "And just like your dad said Haruhi, since we are all going I will come in today and invite your father to come with us."

"Good." Haruhi smiled as she looked up at him. Her hair already now grown out to her shoulders again. She couldn't wait till it grew all the way back out again so that she could put it in a ponytail. "Dad wasn't happy last time with the plane. I don't know why I just freaked out."

Smiling at each other, Hikaru and Kaoru laugh. "And just imagine all the girls that are going to be there." 

"Yeah I can't wait."

"No!" Moving from Haruhi he lifted each one up by their shirts and closed his eyes with a scowl on his face. "We are going in celebration of Mitsukuni and Takashi graduating this year. There will be no one else but us there just so that we can relax and enjoy each other's company. If there are any women there it will be those that work there and you are to leave them alone have I made that clear!"

"Fine."

Going back to Haruhi he smiled as he took her hand. "I think it is time we go and invite your dad to come along with us. Don't you think so?"

"Right."

As he headed for the door he laughed. "We leave bright and early in the morning! We will all meet at my estate at dawn." Once they were gone out of the room, he looked at Haruhi. "If you and your dad wouldn't mind, I would like to have rooms made up for you and he to stay at my estate Haruhi."

"I don't think dad would care and I would love too."

X

"Dad I'm home! Tamaki is with me!"

Walking out in full drag Ryoji smiled at them and winked. "So did you both enjoy your last day of school?"

"We did sir. But I have something that I wanted to ask you." Tamaki let go of Haruhi's hand as she headed for the kitchen. He could only hope right now that he said he would be going.

"Well what is that boy? Come on. Out with it."

Giving him a low bow he smiled. "In respect to your wishes after the last trip did not go so well for Haruhi, I am here to formally invite you to go to the Sohma Family Hot Spring Spa with us tomorrow morning. We will only be gone for a week."

Feeling his daughter's eyes on him, Ryoji smiled. "That is good you remembered and actually invited me yourself like I asked. We will go. However I will be Ranka while I am there. You don't have a problem with it do you?"

Shaking his head with a smile as he stood up he laughed. "I do not. Thank you for coming with us. I want to leave right and early. But instead of having you get up extra early and having a car take you to my estate, I would like for yourself and Haruhi to come and stay at my estate with me. I will have rooms made for the two of you."

Haruhi froze as she stopped just outside the living room. Waiting to see what Tamaki was going to say. Since she knew that he didn't exactly like Ranka. Saying all the time that when her dad was Ranka that it freaked him out since he wasn't used to it like Haruhi herself was.

Smiling, even though inside he was screaming at the top of his lungs Tamaki nodded. "Ranka. Ryoji. Both are you and both are the father of the woman that I want to spend the rest of my life with so I don't really care who you go as."

Clapping his hands, Ryoji nodded with a bright smile as he turned and ran off toward his room. "That is wonderful! I shall go and pack my things right now! You too Haruhi! Daddy is going with you to the Spa!"

With a smile as she walked around the corner to see Tamaki on his hands and knees she sat the tea down and stood in front of him. "That means a lot to him and me ya know."

"I know. I just haven't had enough time to really get used to seeing him as Ranka. Even if they are a transvestite like your dad, or full on gay, everyone else I know doesn't show it because of fear of what others will do." Standing as he pulled her into his arms and laughed. "Though I must say that I do admire him and respect him for it. It can't be an easy thing to do with all the judgemental people in the world. And yet he does it anyway. I will eventually get used to it. Right?"

Laughing Haruhi put her hands on his chest. "Yep. But it does mean a lot that you are willing to accept dad for who he is Tamaki."

"I don't care who he is or what he does." Leaning down and kissing her nose he laughed. "So long as he had a part in creating the beautiful creature in my arms, I will claim him and defend him to the fullest."

Smiling as he looked down at the red wig that he wore. He wouldn't stay Ranka once they got to the spa, he would turn back into Ryoji for Haruhi. But he wanted to see what that oaf Tamaki was going to say about it. Hearing that conversation between them was good. 'At least he respects her family enough to even accept a social taboo like what I do to be with her. I think you may just get to see a wedding in the near future Kotoko.'


	2. Chapter 2

"Would you stop it already you damned rat!"

"I don't listen to stupid cats."

"Just get the hell over here and help me!"

"Beg."

With a smile as she watched Kyo and Yuki fight through the window, Tohru couldn't help but laugh at what she saw. Even though both said they wanted to be with her, when she chose Kyo in the end, Yuki went as far as to hug her and congratulate her. Even though it turned him into a mouse.

"Thank you for coming ahead of time Tohru to help me get everything read. Having you, your friends and Masters Kyo, Yuki and Shigure here really lifts my spirits."

Turning her smile on Meshou she shook her head side to side. "Well in a couple of days all of the Zodiac is going to gather here to hear what Akito's big announcement is."

"Hey!"

Both looked up to see a worried Shigure coming toward them with a calendar. Meshou blinked and looked up at him. "Master Shigure why do you have our calendar for bookings out of the main office?"

"Well because I had a question. When Akito called you this morning too let you know not to book anyone for the next week so we could all meet here and not worry about running into anyone, did you look at this?"

"I did. That was why I told him that it was free this week. It ends with Saturday being Ritsu's birthday."

Laughing Shigure turned it around and showed her the month. "No Meshou. You must have been busy. Ritsu's birthday was last month. There is a tear in the top of this month, it must have fallen down. In about an hour, there will be eight people coming to spend the week here."

Tohru blinked when Meshou fell to her knees bowing repeatedly apologizing for it. "It an honest mistake."

"But Master Akito will be very angry with me!"

Laughing as she closed her eyes with that bright smile she always had Tohru pulled Meshou's and Shigure's eyes to her. "It will be fine."

"What will be fine?"

Looking up to see Kyo and Yuki walking up toward them Shigure smiled. "That there is a group of high school kids coming to stay here this week, same time as us."

"What!?"

Moving away from them Tohru laughed again. "It will be fine. As they get here everyone can go to the private wing and the others can stay in the public wing. Meshou and I can wait on them and no one will be none the wiser."

Blinking as he looked at her Yuki sighed. "But Miss Honda that is what you said about Miss Uotani and Miss Hanajima coming to Shigures to visit and that didn't go exactly well."

"But there everyone had to interact with everyone. Here they don't have to interact with any of the Sohma's. I am sure too that Uo and Hana will help us when they get here. You will see everything is going to be just fine."

X

Walking into the room where Tohru was making sure that seven beds were ready Kyo blinked. "Why do you have seven beds in here?"

"Well Meshou had her brother get the information, since he was the one who confirmed it for them yesterday. There is one adult male, six teenage males and one girl. She has that room over there across the hall and everyone else will stay in here."

Stopping right behind her as she made the bed, Kyo let his eyes half show. He loved her. With all he had he loved her, and when given the choice between him and Yuki he thought that he was going to lose her for good. But when she chose him, his heart sang. He had hoped, since he truly loved her, and she truly loved him, that when they kissed, the curse would have been broken. But no. He turned into a cat only seconds after his lips touched hers.

He couldn't hug her, he hardly got to kiss her. But she stood by him. "You know you don't have to work yourself to death. Haru and Rin wouldn't like it because they seem to live in an alternate universe. But we can change it to another place. For some reason Akito wants you there when he talks to all of us this time."

Laughing as she stood and turned around and did one of the few things they could do, and held his hands she smiled. "I don't mind. In a few days when he gets here, I will get everything set up, and Meshou will be able to handle it while I come sit with everyone and hear what he wants to tell us."

"You work yourself too hard sometimes and I worry."

Smiling she laughed. "I am just fine. I only over work myself when I have to worry about school. Today starts summer break so I will be fine."

She stood on her toes and kissed his cheek then went to another bed. "I don't mind helping your family out Kyo. After all when we graduate it will be my family too right?"

"That's right."

Both looked up when they heard the door open and a smiling Meshou walked in the room. Tohru blinked as she let her head fall to the side. "Meshou what is it? You look like you are about to fall over or something."

"It is just, now I know why my brother let them come on such short notice without talking to me first."

"Well you going to tell us?"

"Be nice Kyo." Tohru then walked over to look Meshou in the eye. "Why was it?"

Looking at her she handed her the notes that he took. "It was because they wanted the entire place to their selves. Just the eight of them. Look what they offered."

Looking over Tohru's shoulder when her eyes went wide and she froze, Kyo crossed his arms. "Damnit all to hell. If one person can pay that they must be some rich ass bastards."

Looking up at him now Tohru hadn't heard him that annoyed since he was told he had to live with Shigure when she first met him. "What does them being rich have to do with anything?"

"Because when they are rich they think that they can just boss everyone around and get waited on hand and foot." Holding his hand up to her to stop what she was going to say he sighed as he gave her a softer look. "I mean even more than what we have to here. Like they would demand breakfast in bed and all kinds of crazy stuff. And you like to go overboard helping people."

Laughing as she smiled then handed the paper back to Meshou she turned to face Kyo. "Oh don't worry. I am sure I can appease them without doing anything more than what I would do if they were some school friends of ours." Then she shocked him and pulled a glare, and a laugh from Meshou as she kissed his lips and caught him as a cat. "And besides Kyo. I can always keep you with me all the time just by simply holding you so you won't have to worry."

"Very funny. Just take me and my clothes to our room."

"Sure."

X

Watching the live feed from the security cameras Yuki glared when he saw the two limos drive past on their way up there. The argument that he heard not long ago with Kyo and Tohru, Kyo was right. They were indeed rich people. He didn't like them. He has seen what kids that are born into that kind of wealth are like, and while he hated to admit that Kyo was right, he had to rightnow.

People like that think they are entitled and don't care who disagrees with it, or if they really are or not. But then as he started to stand up another car was shown going past. A taxi. And in it he caught a glimpse of Miss Hanajima. "Well this could just be an interesting week after all."

Leaving he found Kyo and Tohru walking toward them with Meshou. "Miss Honda, Miss Meshou. I thought you both would like to know that the cars with our guests will be arriving soon. They passed the cameras just a few moments ago."

Nodding Tohru nods as she turns and kisses Kyo cheek and then leaves them with Meshou. "Well we better go and greet them. I will you later for dinner."

With a look after her Kyo crossed his arms. "Look I know we don't get along and all. But when it comes to these rich bastards….."

Laughing as he walked away from Kyo, Yuki looked over his shoulder. "I wouldn't worry about that. Miss Uotani and Miss Hanajima are early. They should arrive within moments of the limos."

Gasping Kyo turned and looked toward where Tohru and Meshou went. "Actually I do kinda feel sorry for them now."


	3. Chapter 3

Standing at the entrance with Meshou, Tohru smiled as the drivers of the two limos opened the doors of the limos. When they got out she joined her in a small bow. "Welcome to the Sohma Family Hot Spring."

"Well thank you very much." Looking around Kyoya fixed his glasses. "I guess the reports weren't far off. This isn't a bad little place."

"Be nice Kyoya." Getting out Haruhi half glared at him then she looked around. "This place looks like a five star hot spring compared to what I have seen. And besides you promised no more commoner stuff while we are here."

"I remember Haruhi. I am sorry."

Tohru laughed then she blinked when another woman got out of the same car and looked at Meshou then back to the group. There were only eight there, but it said seven men and one woman. "Excuse me."

Stepping in front of everyone, Tohru gave another bow then looked up with blinking eyes. "But the reservations made yesterday were for seven men and one woman. I am sorry but I don't have two beds ready. I will fix that right away."

Haruhi laughed as she walked up to her and held out her hand. "I am Haruhi Fujioka. You don't have to worry about two beds for two girls. That isn't a woman. It is hard to explain and I can try later but that is my dad."

"Your dad?" Tohru looked around and looked at him with blinking eyes then let her head fall to the side. "I could see that. It reminds me of Ritsu."

"Indeed it does. He will be thrilled." Meshou nodded in agreement.

"Ritsu?"

Laughing a she turned back to Haruhi, Tohru held her hands before her. "That's right. He is the son of Miss Meshou here. She is the one that runs this place. He is very shy and not very confident. And pretty enough to be a girl. From the time he was little so I am told, he has always enjoyed dressing in women's clothes and fixing his long hair like a girl. He says it gives him more confidence that way."

"I see." Haruhi laughed. "Well at least you aren't going to freak out like a lot of other people who find out about dad."

"Nope. If you could meet Ritsu and Ayame you would understand fully." She then smiled as Kyo and Yuki came out and nodded toward them. "This is Kyo and Yuki Sohma. They will take your bags to your rooms while I show you all around. If you would come with me."

"Sure thing."

X

Kyo and Yuki both glared at the twins as they ran to walk just behind Tohru. Kyo clenched his fists as he narrowed his eyes. "I don't like them."

"Just hush it and get the bags inside." Meshou then turned to see taxi coming. "Who is this?"

With a smile Yuki lifted a couple bags. "Miss Honda's friends Miss Arisa Uotani and Miss Saki Hanajima. So long as they are with her, no one of them would dare look at her wrong."

Laughing Kyo also lifted some bags from the other limo. "That's right."

"What's right orange top?" Arisa still couldn't believe that Tohru chose him over the prince. But they were such polar opposites that they just seemed to fit with each other. And he knew beyond a doubt she would turn him into a woman if he hurt her.

Not even looking up he sighed. Not hiding the annoyance in his voice. "We got seven rich kids and a cross dressing man here this week too. Two are twins and I didn't like how they were looking at Tohru but she made me promise not to start trouble."

Her eyes turning to look inside, Hana had no emition as one single hair popped up on her head and she walked away from Arisa. "I am going to go and join our Tohru."

"Just don't hurt them too bad. You couldn't afford one of their law suits." Arisa then lifted her two bags out of the taxi and Hana's one. She walked past them and into the spa. "So you are staying apart from them?"

"Of course they are. I am Meshou the caretaker of this place. It is a perfectly wonderful pleasure to meet some of Mistress Tohru's friends."

Blinking as she looked at her odd, Arisa blinked. "Mistress Tohru?"

"That is right. She is with Master Kyo and so I call her the opposite of that. She was going to show them the spring first I believe."

"Right."

X

"This place is beautiful."

"Thank you. Whenever any of the Sohma family get sick they come here and spend a few days to a week and the healing properties are amazing." With that she turned and faced the group. "Also, all the places that I have shown you, the wreck rooms, where you will sleep, this spa and the dining area are all free for you to roam in and out of. But only those."

"Why can't go we to the other side?"

Looking at one of the twins Tohru laughed. "Normally the entire spring would be for you. But a small oversight lead to the head of the Sohma Family Akito bringing some members of the family here to have a sort of meeting with him. They will be on the other side of the spring and you all have free reign from this side."

"Tohru."

Even though everyone else jumped, Tohru smiled as she looked to the side. "This is my friend Saki Hanajima. I just call her Hana. She and another friend of mine Arisa Uotani will be here helping me out as well."

"That's right."

Turning around, Tamaki blinked with wide eyes as a woman with long blond hair and a black trench coat in the middle of summer walked past them to stand on the other side of their hostess. "Excuse me but why are you wearing a trench coat like that in the middle of summer?"

"Because it was the first day of summer vacation a long time ago that I got this jacket given to me by my idol."

"Who was that?"

With a smug smile she turned around to show the red butterfly on the back of the coat. "The Legendary Red Butterfly. I never got to see it, but they say when she would ride her bike through the knight her tail lights looked like red butterflies screaming through the night."

"Bike?"

Laughing as she stood with a smile. "Yes that's right. But that was when mom was in her gang."

Blinking Haruhi was just as shocked as everyone else. "Gang?"

"That's right." Looking down as she thought of her mother she couldn't hide the sadness in her voice. "It was before she met my father. She was the Red Butterfly. The most fearsome member of the gang The Ladies. But when she met my dad she left and changed." Then she laughed as she turned to leave with Hana and Uo. "But your visit here shouldn't be spent with me telling you about my life. I will come and find you when diner is ready."

Watching as they left, Haruhi sighed then dropped her head as she put one hand on her chest. "I am going to see if I can find her and talk to her later."

"Why is that Haruhi?"

Looking up at Tamaki she sighed. "I seen it. That look in her eye. The sadness. The way she talked in past tense. She lost her mother just like I did."

X

"Excuse me." Opening the door to the wreck room Tohru smiled at everyone. "Diner has been served."

Following them out, Haruhi got up close to Tohru and smiled at her. "How long ago did she pass?"

Looking at her odd Tohru didn't know what she was talking about. "What do you mean?"

"Your mom."

With a smile as she turned to keep walking she laughed. "Five years ago. We are coming up on the five year anniversary of her death. Myself, Uo, Hana, Kyo and Yuki all go to her grave each year. Last year some other Sohma Family members came with us."

"So many?"

Laughing she nodded. "That's right. Mom wouldn't be happy if we didn't bring a bunch of people with us each time. One year after she died, when it started, it was me, Hana, and Uo. But Yuki and Kyo tagged along too. They were very surprised at how we did it."

"How was that?"

"Well, my grandfather on my father's side had already cleaned her headstone and left a pack of her favorite rice cakes." Then she laughed. "But when we got there, Uo was in mom's coat, and we had a picnic and threw a little party of sorts. Mom would be happy if we celebrated instead of being sad.

She lead them in the room and smiled as they all sat down and started eating. "So how does everyone like the food?"

"This food is amazing! I love it!" MItsukuni jumped up and down. "Did you make it?"

"I did."

"This is good." Haruhi smiled up at her. "Could I help with tomorrows? I would really like to learn some of these."

"That would be nice. I will let you eat now. Enjoy."


	4. Chapter 4

Hikaru and Kaoru sigh as they sit in the small garden that the place had. It was a great place to relax but Tohru didn't seem to let anything they told her get through to her. They just really didn't understand it when they tried all they could.

"So do you think that we should try something different?"

"Different?"

Nodding as he looked over to see Tohru and Haruhi once again talking as Haruhi followed her around as she did things on their side of the spring Kaoru sighed. "Tohru. I think if we could get her attention too, Tamaki would be alright. He seems to really be sulking when Haruhi talks to her instead of him."

Looking over as well Hikaru nodded. "I know but she doesn't seem to get all flustered like most girls we talk to like that. I don't get it. Nothing works."

"That is because you boys are a little off on girls still I see."

Looking up and blinking to see Ryoji standing there instead of Ranka they let their heads fall to the side with a glare as they realize what he said. "What do you mean that we are a little off? We are first rate hosts."

"Being part of a host club is one thing. Tell me if you took someone who was three hundred pounds, bad teeth and a body odder problem, but a true and kind personality, how many girls at your academy would even look at them?" When both twins cringed he laughed. "That is because they like you for your looks I would gather. Not your personalities."

Looking up where his daughter was now consoling a blubbering Tamaki, and Tohru walked off with the guy with orange hair he laughed. "It is so painfully obvious to me, and I am sure Haruhi that those two right there are a couple."

Jerking around to see Tohru and the guy with orange hair go to the other part they gasped. "You don't really mean that do you Haruhi's dad!?"

"Indeed they are."

All three jumping at the sudden sound of Hana next to them, it was Ryoji who relaxed first. "Ah Miss Hanajima. How are you?"

"Just a friendly warning for the two of you." Hana's violet eyes narrowing at the twins. "You will not interfere in Tohru's relationship with Kyo. Unless you want electric shocks."

Blinking as they stood up, both Hikaru and Kaoru looked at each other and then back to Hana. "What do you mean electric shocks?"

Laughing Hikaur put his hands on his head with a big grin. "What you going to have us go through electro shock therapy or something."

"I will do it myself." She smiled as she took a step toward them and her eyes focused. "Do not assume you know me. You will see soon. I will make a believer…"

"There you are Hana. We just got the word that Rin is almost here. After that is Haru then Akito himself." Uo looked up at the look that Hana had and then the confused but stubborn looks of the twins and she sighed. "Hana you can't do that to the people that pay money here."

"They want to flirt with Tohru."

Taking her hand Uo pulled her with her toward the front gate. "So let them. Kyo will kick their ass then I will too and be done with it. Remember what happened last time you did that. You couldn't move for days."

"It was for Tohru."

"Yeah I know."

Blinking at each other then back up to Ryoji and then back toward the gate, Hikaru and Kaoru were thoroughly confused. "What was all of that about?"

"I don't know."

Going toward the front door they wanted to see if they could hear more of the conversation between the two of them about this 'shock' thing that the goth girl could do. But as the looked out the door they both gasped, turned red and went bug eyed. Getting out of the taxi was by far one of the most beautiful woman that they had ever seen. "That must be Rin."

Looking out the window as he walked passed, Kyoya smiled. "She is rather pretty isn't she? Though I gather since she is going in a different door that she is a Sohma. I wouldn't get your hopes up on getting to talk to her."

Turning around with a start, Hikaru pointed at Hana. "Hey Saki Hanajima. See what you can find out about her. She is creepy and threatened to shock us herself with electric stuff."

"What did you do to her?"

Turning to Tamaki both crossed their arms and turned their backs to him. "We didn't do anything to her at all. We were just talking about getting Tohru's attention."

Laughing Haruhi shook her head. "She and Kyo are a couple. They have been for a couple of years now so I wouldn't bet on getting her attention."

"Then Rin!"

X

Bursting through the door to the side where the guests are after hearing that there was another man who liked to dress as a woman, Ayame came across two young teenagers that were caught in the act of trying to sneak where they were not supposed to be. "And who may I ask are you?"

Jumping to their feet they rubbed the back of the head. "We are the Hitachiin twins and we wanted to know if we could meet….."

Crossing his arms as he flicked his long white hair around, Ayame stuck his nose up in the air. "I will not allow you to see the princesses. Unless you are of royal blood."

"We are rich." Hikaru laughed but then both jumped back and hugged each other. When he smiled at them.

"I am the decedent of a great king in a distant land whose name is so secret to utter it aloud would bring death down on those that hear it. That is why even in high school I was allowed to keep my flowing locks of shimmering snowy hair." Grabbing their hands he pulled them with him. "Come with me boys and I will tell you more on how you can see if you have royal blood. Only then can you meet my perfect little princess."

Trying to pull away from him both boys were at a loss of what they could do to get out of this situation. Finally it was Kaoru who smiled at him. "It wasn't like that I promise! We just wanted to talk to the girl named Rin!"

Stopping with a jerk Ayame smiled. "You wish to speak to Rin?"

"That's it!"

Laughing as he held his finger up he closed his eyes. "Oh you can't talk to Rin. Trust me boys she is not your type and it would never work. Especially once he gets here."

"He?"

"Why of course." Leaning down into their faces with a glare he grabbed their shoulders. "His name is Hatsu and he has three personalities. He loves kitties and rainbows. But he is also dull and complacient but when someone he doesn't know talks to Rin he goes awall. He is rather mean. He likes to go fight bears and wolves when he gets in that mood."

Before anyone could say anything, both boys fall to the floor and look to see what looked like a pretty girl getting up off of them. "Are you alright Miss?"

Though he had been getting better since he started seeing Mitsuru, especially in the hot spring he couldn't help his reactions. His eyes going wide as he grabbed their legs with his hands and started bowing his head slamming it on the ground. "Ahhhh I am so sorry! I am so clumsy! You must forgive me for falling on you in such a manner! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I am so sorry!" By this time he was crying and getting it all over them.

Their eyes wide and full of terror they didn't know who was worse. The threat of someone with three personalities that fights bears and wolves and pets kitties, this white hair freak that acts like he is a King and flips between his own personalities or this klutz that won't shut up! Finally pulling away from him they both scream. "We forgive you just leave us alone!"

X

Sitting under the window that looked into the other side both of them looked around cautiously not knowing where those weirdos were at. "I wanna see her again but come on is it really wroth this Kaoru?"

Nodding as he started to look up to look in the window. "I will not let freaks like that stop me."

"Who are you calling freaks?"

Both jerking to see Tohru standing there with blinking eyes they jump up and run around her and head back to where they were. "Oh it is nothing Tohru."

"But why are you here? This isn't where you should be." Tohru blinked as she turned to them and waited for an answer.

"Tohru where are you? I need to ask you…" Rin walked out to see twins standing there and the confused look on Tohru's face. Stepping between them she crossed her arms. "Alright what did the two of you bastards say or do to Tohru?"

With smiles they started to walk toward her. "Nothing. We were just getting ready to ask if we could meet you."

"Why would you want to meet me?"

"To see if you wanted to become our princess of course."

Tohru looked up to see that they were starting to reach to put their arms around her and gasped as she grabbed Rin's hand and pulled her back just in time. "It wasn't anything you need to be upset about Rin. They didn't realize where they were I don't think. Come on lets go on back in alright."

"Whatever."

Blinking as they shut and locked the door the twins looked at each other with odd faces. "Now she was acting weird don't you think?"


	5. Chapter 5

Sitting in the car, Akito looked down at the kimono that she wore. Closed her eyes as she took a sigh and let a hand gingerly touch where her hair was done. By now, they have gotten word that everyone who is part of the zodiac, Tohru and her two friends are here. Including Kureno. It was time to apologize for everything that she had done, and to reveal the truth about why she was the way that she was. It wasn't an excuse but it was truth.

"You alright Akito?"

Feeling the hand grip her own she turned tearful look at him. "I want to do this. I need to do this Shigure but I just don't know how it is going to turn out. I mean what if they…."

Reaching up with his other finger, Shigure smiled at her as he stopped her from talking. They had been a couple in secret for a while, and yet once her mother found out, it was nothing but deceit and drama that forced them apart. But now that she has come around and realized that what Ren said wasn't true, he had the Akito he was in love with back. "Do not worry about what might happen. They will accept it."

"But what if they don't Shigure?"

With a smile as he kissed her hand, he laughed. "Even if a few don't, you can always count on Tohru to say something that touches everyone."

With a smile Akito nodded. "That is true. Well no time like the present."

Climbing out of the car, followed by Shigure, Akito walked toward the door that would lead her to everyone. Tohru and her friends Arisa and Saki. Kureno, Hatori, Ayame, Ritsu, Kyo, Momiji, Haru, Rin, Yuki, Hiro and Kisa. All of them. She could only hope that they would accept her and the apologies that she had for everyone, and the blessings for more than a few of them and welcome it. And the changes that she was going to put in place for them all. Kyo and Tohru most of all.

Feeling eyes on her, she turned and looked to the side, seeing several young men looking at her. "Shigure I thought that…"

"Yes well it seems Meshou and her brother got their communication crossed and a tear in the calendar. But Tohru has done wonders at keeping them away from everyone and making sure Sohma and guest are happy and taken care of."

"I see." Akito then sighed as she walked through the door. 'I hope this goes as well as Shigure seems to think that it is going to go.'

X

Looking up as the door opened, everyone was shocked by what they saw. With the exception of Hatori, Ayame and Kureno who knew Akito was a girl all along. Tohru blinks as she looks up from where she sat between Kyo and Rin as she lets her head fall to the side. "Um Akito, why are you dressed like a girl?"

Standing before everyone with her eyes down, Akito sighed as she started shaking. But feeling Shigure next to her she sighed as she looked up and made eye contact with everyone. Though not the usual glare that she had normally when they would all get together for new years. This was more of a silent pleading to make them understand what she was going to say was the honest truth. Another deep breath and slow sigh she looked back down. "I am dressed like this because this is what my birth gender really is. I was born a woman."

Kyo glared as he slammed his hand on the table. "Yeah like we are going to believe that asshole!"

"Kyo….."

Holding his hand up to stop Tohru from saying anything else he closed his eyes. "That bastard is the source of pain for most of us sitting here around this table. I refuse to believe….."

"Stop it!" Tears now forming and falling from her eyes Akito hugged herself as she dropped to her knees. "It is true. I was supposed to be born Akiko Sohma. Daughter of the Head of the Family Akira Sohma and his wife Ren. But then, everyone realized that my curse was to become the next Jade emperor. And the next Head of the Sohma. My mother was mortified that I was going to be born a girl. That was when her mind games with me and my father began."

"Oh please….."

"It is true Hatsuharu." Kureno dropped his head as he sighed and held the hand of Arisa. "It was not our story to tell any of you. It was hers. Myself, Shigure, Ayame and Hatori have known from the get go. Hatori because of his doctor, I used to be a close friend, Ayame, well I am not sure why he knew and Shigure…"

"Lets just say that we were closer than friends. Being cursed, but not a animal, it was rather tricky but we were…."

Keeping her eyes closed as everyone glared at her, Akito dropped her head. "Shigure and I were a couple. My mother made sure to stop that as well. She was the source of my pain, and indirectly the source of all of yours. Yuki. I tried so hard to make my mother happy. But there was no making her happy. She compared me to you all the time, and kept telling me she wished I was born a rat then I might have been a better child. I saw you as someone to hate. For that I made your life hell. I am sorry for that. I don't expect you to forgive me. Or forget it. I just wanted to say I was sorry."

Still hugging herself she never looked up. "Hatori. I am sorry for hurting your eye. In a fit of rage, I don't know. My mother managed to convince me that if I didn't rule with fear over the zodiac that I would be hated and turned on. When you wanted to marry Kana I felt like you were doing that and leaving me for someone else. That I would no longer be important to you. Even when two wanted to be together that were zodiac themselves."

Looking up she looked at Hatsuharu and Rin and then over to Hiro and Kisa. "Kisa. I am sorry for the pain I added onto you being bullied." Then to Rin. "Rin….for what I did to your hair when you tried to take up for Hatsuharu."

Her own eyes crying as she watched Akito on the floor as she took deep breaths, Tohru felt her heart go out to her. To have gone through so much it must have been aweful. 'Akito.'

Looking up again, she settled on Kyo. "I know you are the one that is going to be last to accept what I say and for that I understand. But Kyo I am very sorry for what has always happened to not only you, but the previous cat as well. Kazuma's grandfather." She then dropped her head again as she covered her mouth. "From the first generation with the curse, something I know nothing about honestly, the dinamics of the curse hasn't changed. The Jade Emperor excludes the cat from the family. Just like God excluded the cat from the Zodiac like in the folk lore."

"What of it? It isn't like any of that is going to change." Kyo didn't know what to think about this new version of Akito. Man or woman he knew that they were up to something and he wasn't going to buy into it.

"It is Kyo. As of right now, I Akito Sohma, welcome you into the Sohma and Zodiac family. You will be included in everything that happens. Even the New Years Dance."

His red eyes going wide as he looked at her, Kyo didn't know what to say to that. "What…did…"

"It is a start to atone for all the monstrous things that I have done to all of you. I don't expect your forgiveness. At all. But I want to make it up to you for how I have been. It was wrong and I want to change….." Then she along with everyone else gasped as Tohru flew from her seat next to Kyo and hugged Akito from the side. "Tohru…"

Tears streaming down her eyes Tohru closed them as she hugged her. "To have gone through such things. To have been made to feel that way by your own mother. That is awful. Mom would have never done that to me. No mother should play those kinds of mind games no matter what the situation is." After a moment she sat back and smiled at her as she let her head fall to the side and smiled whipping tears away from her eyes. "Just hold your head up and smile. It will all work out. The more you do to show you are trust worthy. The more they will come around."

"Tohru I don't know if that is going to happen."

Laughing, and pulling even more shocked yes to her, Tohru never took her eyes off of Akito. "It will. Things were not born bad. It all went bad because of the actions that you did. And because of your mother. The more you do to correct. The more you do to show them all that you aren't going to be like that anymore and really try to get to know them and build a bond with them, the more they will come around and see. Least that is what mom always used to say. If you show someone the bad side of you, that is all they will see. And even if you change, you will have to work hard to show them that you have changed. But in the end, you will build an amazing relationship with them."

Standing with her, Akito gave Tohru a warm hug. "Well, there are a few things that I want to say still, I hope this is a start." She then took Tohru by the hand and went over to where the now standing Kyo was and smiled as before he could move he put Tohru's hand in hers. Then turned and looked down at Hatsuharu and Rin. Then to Kureno. "The last thing that I have to say right now is that….." Her eyes filled with tears as she thought of Hatori and Kana. "And I should have started this with Hatori and Kana. Kyo and Tohru. Hatsuharu and Rin. Kureno and Arisa. You all have my blessings to be together, and even marry whenever you wish."

X

That evening Tohru was in the kitchen with Meshou cleaning up after they served dinner to the Sohma's and the guests. She was so happy. After a while, slowly Akito explained all the things that her mother forced on her. All the different things that she did to try to prove her mother was wrong. "It is so sad, but I hope that she keeps proving how much she is changing."

"You and me both."

Turning she smiled as Meshou left and Kyo walked in and up to her. "Hey. You believe her right Kyo?"

Reaching up and cupping her face in her hand he smiled down at her. "Well saying that I will forever more be included in the family and everything. That hasn't been done since the curse started. I ho pe it is a step closer to breaking the curse so I can finally kiss you without turning into a cat."

As he leaned closer to her, Tohru smiled. "That would be nice. After two years…" Then she closed her eyes as for just a second, she was able to feel his lips press against hers before she caught the orange cat in her arms. "Well not yet but at least it is a start."

"Yeah."


	6. Chapter 6

Two more days have passed, and it was coming up to the morning that the guests would be leaving. But all the Sohma's were going to stay a little while longer. They had never had a get together where everyone was there and laughing and smiling and getting along with everyone. It was nice and it would be even nicer to branch out and have more room. Once their guests left they could.

Along with Meshou, Tohru smiled as they worked to prepare breakfast. Meshou for the guests, and Tohru for the Sohma family. looking over at her Tohru laughed. "I am so glad that everyone is still getting along."

"Indeed. However I do wonder if and when the curse will ever be broken?" Meshou gave the young woman next to her a sympathetic look. "Mostly for you and young Master Kyo. I am sure you do want to get married one day and have children."

"We still can it just wouldn't be the typical way." Tohru kept her smile as she laughed. "We have talked about this actually. If once we are ready and get married, if the curse hasn't broken yet we are going to seek help with a doctor to get me pregnant."

"I see."

But before anyone could say or do anything, the entire hot spring was woken up by a shrill, bone chilling, blood curdling scream that came from the men's room where the guests were. Joining Kyo and Yuki as they ran for the room, Tohru stopped in front of them at the door to find Haruhi trying to calm down the small blond boy, while everyone else ran around crazily. "What happened?"

Turning his amber eyes, Mitsukuni was not being his typical self. And acting even younger than normal, but he had a reason. "I woke up this morning and Usachan was gone! My bunny is gone! I can't leave without him! My grandmother made him for me before she died! Please! I can't leave him!"

In typical Tohru fashion, she went and sat next to Haruhi and smiled down at him. "Don't worry. I will help, and so will Yuki and Kyo. We will look all over the place to help you find him okay?"

"You will."

"Yep. Where was the last place you remember having him?"

Sniffling, Mitsukuni whipped one eye as he held onto Takashi's pants with the other, he thought then looked up. "The spring?"

With a sigh Kyo turned and headed back toward the family side. "I will go get Haru. He is the only one that can go in the water and not pass out swimming in it like a pool."

"Right. I will go and look around it." Tohru then turned to Haruhi. "Would you like to come? Yuki will help the others look around this part for it."

Nodding Haruhi walked with Tohru. "Sure." Once they were out of the room where the guys were she sighed. "I am sorry that you were all woken up by that. But it is strange that he is awake at this time of day anyway."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He and Kyoya do nothing but sleep in cause they stay up all night long. Tamaki tells them they are like dark evil over lords when they wake up in moods." When they reached the hot spring she sighed. "I will go left you go right?"

"Sounds like a plan to me."

The two girls worked along the wall and the edge of the water, trying to see the bottom to see if he was there. When they met back up Tohru blinked. "Well unless he is out in the steamy part of the water it isn't here."

"Yeah. Let's go look somewhere else." But as Haruhi turned around with Tohru they saw that the door right before you got into the water was closed. "Did you close that?"

"No. It closes on its own sometimes and no one really knows why." Tohru put her hand on the door and tried to open but it wouldn't open. Blinking she let her head fall to the side. "That is strange." She tried again but nothing. "Why won't it open."

As she waited to see if Tohru could get the door open, Haruhi looked around then gasped as her eyes went wide and her face paled. Reaching out she grabbed Tohru's arm making her turn around and look.

Gasping Tohru leaned on the door along with Haruhi. The stones over the hot spring were bleeding! "Oh man, Kyo. Haru. Hurry."

Haruhi squinted as she shook. "Wait look it is words." Then the girls both screamed as in a flash there was an entire message on the rock wall. When a set of glowing yellow eyes flew at them and went through the door they looked at each other again with extra wide eyes and pale faces. They both took a deep breath and let out the same kind of scream that Mitsukuni did. Then both fell over side by side passed out cold.

X

Already headed for the hot spring with a half asleep Haru, Kyo went wide eyed when he heard Tohru scream. "Tohru." Running, joined by Momiji, Hatori, Arisa and Saki, Kyo lead the way and threw the door open to the spring and fell by her side as he grabbed her hand. "Tohru!"

Kneeling between the two girls Hatori worked on one than the other as the friends of the guests rushed in. "Do not move them. I am a doctor just let them lay here."

Tamaki had wide eyes that had tears streaming. "Is she alright? Are they both alright doctor?"

Looking in their eyes and checking their vitals Hatori sighed as he closed his eyes. "They are fine just passed out. Turning to Momiji he gave a stern look. "Go and get my bag please."

"Right Hari."

Lifting his fiancé into his arms, Tamaki kept his eyes focused only on her. "Haruhi. What happened?"

Looking over at Tohru and Kyo, the twins and even Kyoya and Ryoji thought that it was odd that they were so clearly a couple and yet all he was doing was holding her hand. 'That is odd.'

Running back with his bag Momiji looked at Tohru with sad eyes. "Are you sure they are alright Hari?"

"I am sure. However I am not sure what made them scream and pass out like that. This will wake them up." Hatori then first gave Tohru a shot of nothing more than pure caffine to wake her up, and then the other girl.

Tohru's eyes flew open as she sat up with terror in them. Still gripping Kyo's hand she let tears fall as Arisa came to her and hugged her. She had never been so scared in her life!

Reaching out and rubbing the side of her face, ignoring all the different odd looks from the guests Kyo had worried eyes. "What happened Tohru?"

Not turning around, she pointed behind her at the rocks, making everyone look up and gasp. A message that was written in what looked like blood on the rock wall.

Standing behind everyone Kureno sighed. "It is time to end it. The haunting that curses everyone. What does that mean I wonder?"

Still shaking as she held onto Tamaki Haruhi had silent tears in her eyes. "I don't know. Let's just go. Tamaki will pay them extra for missing breakfast I just want to get out of here."

Nodding as she looked up at Kyo as she jumped to her feet and grabbed the front of his clothes with one hand her other still in his. "I want to go home to Kyo. Please?" Shaking as she dropped her head she gripped his shirt tighter. "Right now."

But everyone jumped when there was a booming noise. She stepped closer to Kyo but didn't touch him as she started shaking. Tohru wished that this for once was a time she could be held by him without him turning into a cat.

But it was the sudden scream of Haruhi that got their attention. Watching as something forced her and Tamaki apart and drug him by a foot quickly through the hot spring and out the front door. As everyone else tried to get out the doors slammed shut.

Jumping to his feet Tamaki pounded on the door. "No! Haruhi! Let her out!"

Taking a chair and flinging it at the window, Kureno gasped when it only bounced off of it. "No way."

X

Three hours later, Tamaki couldn't get back in the hot spring, and no one else could get out. sitting by the door with Haruhi on the other side Tamaki was desperate. "What do we do now!?"

"As much as I hate to have to admit this, I do believe this place is haunted. Tamaki can you hear me."

"I can Kyoya."

Fixing his glasses, Kyoya closed his eyes. "I have heard that there is a team of people that make a living ghost hunting. Perhaps they might be able to help."

Jumping to his feet and looking through the window he nodded. "I will go get them! What are they called so I know where I am going!?"

"They aren't far from here in Shibuya. It is called Shibuya Psychic Research. The one who runs it is actually the same age as we are his name is Oliver Davis but I believe that those who he is close to call him Naru."

"Right! I will be back with him as soon as possible!"

Tohru sighed as she walked away from Kyo and Arisa and went to Akito and sighed. "I think it would be best if everyone was in the same place but that would mean that…."

Nodding Akito sighed. "They have to know the truth about the Sohma Family."

Looking down at her, Hatori was wide eyed. "You are sure that is a good idea?"

"We have no choice in the matter if we all want to stay safe. They have to know the truth."

"The truth about what?"

Turning to find the older man standing there with his arms crossed in front of the teens Akito sighed. "I am Akito Sohma. The head of the Sohma Family."

"So you are rich like we are. That is a relief."

"However we don't exactly show it. Those that do have money in the Sohma family do not flaunt it and show it off. We prefer modest living and staying to ourselves. And that is the reason you need to know about. If we are all going to be staying together."

Seeing how hard it was for her, and understanding why Tohru stepped up and smiled. "You see I know it is hard to believe but the Sohma Family has a curse on it."

"A curse? You got to be kidding me?"

His black eyes glaring at the twins Haru sighed as he dropped his head. "Look what just happened and you think a cursed family is something hard to believe."

Turning to the side Kaoru crossed his arms and closed his eyes. "I am sure that this is all just some hoax to make us stay longer and get more money out of us. I say it is all a cheap trick. I mean come on you all don't exactly look normal. Blond hair and amber eyes, orange hair and red eyes, and you with half black hair and half white hair. This started out sort of fun but now it is nothing bot troublesome."

Tohru laughed a goofy little laugh pulling everyone's eyes to her as Rin snagged Haru and pulled him away from the group to calm him down and stop Black Haru from coming out. Holding up her finger she smiled. "I know it hard to believe but it is true. For as long as they can remember certain Sohma Family members are born cursed. Where if they are hugged or kissed or come under too much stress they transform into the animals of the zodiac and the cat. Just like in the old folk tale."

Blinking Kyoya looked at her odd. "What are you talking about?"

Turning to Kyoya, Ryoji sighed. "It is a tale that most parents tell their kids. My mom told me I told Haruhi. Long story short God, or the Jade Emperor was holding a banquet and invited all the animals to come. The mouse told the cat it was the day after it was. The cat didn't get to go and wasn't made part of the zodiac." He then turned back to the young lady and smiled. "You are telling me that if they are hugged by the opposite sex or kissed they transform into animals."

Smiling as Kyo walked up to her she laughed. "Or they get too stressed out. See."

Taking this chance to finally be able to kiss his fiancé in front of others than family Kyo smiled as he leaned in and pressed his lips to her. A second later was caught in her arms as an orange cat.


	7. Chapter 7

Bursting through the door Tamaki was in desperate mode as he rushed to the desk that the young girl sat at it. "You have to come and help me right now!"

Blinking as she looked up Mai didn't know what to say to this one. They get some weirdos but this one was the weirdest by far. "What exactly do you need help with sir?"

"My friends, my fiancé and her father all went to a Sohma Family hot spring. Everything went great but then Honey's bunny Usachan went missing, and then the rocks started bleeding, the girls passed out, I was drug through the halls and thrown out the door, couldn't get back in and even the windows won't break! I need to speak to Oliver Davis right away!"

"I am Oliver Davis. I would appreciate it if you backed away from her some."

Turning to find someone his height and age Tamaki had tears streaming down his face. "Please my fiancé and my friends are in trouble. We went to the Sohma hot spring, and everything was fine until this morning. Honey woke up early, his stuffed rabbit was missing, and then my Haruhi and a girl that worked there saw the rocks bleed. I was drug through the halls and thrown out the door. I couldn't get back in even the windows wouldn't break to let me in. Please you have to come and help us! Please!"

With a sigh Naru started to walk off away from him to tell him no but then he stopped and gave him a really stern look. "Wait did you say Sohma Family?"

"I did. It is a hot spring that is owned and managed by them. A lot of them were up there, including someone who was supposed to be the head of the family, it was too days later this happened. You are going to come and help me right!?"

Nodding Naru walked round and headed toward his office. "Mai call everyone and have them come here. The sooner we get them here the sooner we can leave."

"Right."

"One more thing…"

Laughing as she used her cell to find John's number she headed for the small kitchen. "Hot tea three sugar and honey. Just regular tea for Lin." Looking back at the blinking blond she laughed. "You can have a seat I will get you a cup too."

"Who are you talking too Mai?"

"Our new case. Naru seemed really into this one actually. Is Masako with you?"

"She is we were just coming out from lunch."

"Good he wants everyone. I will call Monk next and have him get Ayako."

"Right on. We are not far we should be there in like twenty."

"Thanks John." Mai hung up the phone and dropped it in her pocket as she lifted the tray and headed over to where the guy was sitting. "Here you go. What is your name by the way?"

Looking up Tamaki smiled. "Thank you. I am Tamaki. Tamaki Suou. You are?"

"My name is Mai Taniyama." She then went in Lin's office. "Here Lurch."

Glaring at her as she sat it down Lin sighed. "I wish you wouldn't call me that Mai."

"I do it cause you always react too it Lin. I can't help it you are just a stick in the mud." She then went to Naru and handed him his tea. "Here you go."

"Thank you Mai. Have you called them yet?"

"I called John. He and Masako were on a date, I am getting ready to call Monk and have him get Ayako also. Hey Naru why the sudden interest in the Sohma family anyway?" Meeting his blue eyes with her own brown she blinked. "I saw that look on your face you were going to tell him to leave that we were not going to help him then you realized it and asked him about the Sohma's."

With a sigh he dropped his head then stood up and walked over to her and put an arm around her waist pulling her closer to him. "Because of a story that my brother and I heard in the orphanage we were in before my parents adopted us. That the Sohma Family of Japan was cursed and would transform into animals. I never thought it had much merit but Gene seemed to really want to go and meet some and see if it was true."

Smiling as she tip toed and kissed his cheek she laughed as she turned and headed out the door already going down to Monk's number. "So this was more for Gene than him."

Smiling as he sat down and looked at his brother's picture he nodded as she shut the door behind her. "Indeed. This is for you Gene. This was something you always wanted to do so I will do it. As a way to honor your memory."

X

"Well if it isn't my favorite little groupie."

"Yuck no way would I be a groupie to a creepy rocker monk wanna be."

"You wound me Mai. I thought we were friends." 

"Oh shut it Monk! Seriously we got a case and Naruto wants you to get Ayako and get here right away. I already called John and he and Masako are already on their way."

"Fine I get it. You know I think being with him as a couple the last couple of years has really done you no favors. You can be really mean now."

"Just get her and come on you dirty old man." Mai sighed as she dropped her phone in her pocket. "I swear that one gets on my nerves."

"Who was that?"

Looking up into his blue eyes Mai smiled. "One of the people that we work with. He is one of four others that are going to come and meet here. Soon as they all get here we are going to be going and you can show us where to go."

"I see. Who are they and what can they do if I might ask. I know nothing about anything paranormal." Turning and facing her, Tamaki still had the haunted look in his eyes from being forced away from Haruhi and not being able to get back to her.

With a smile as she set to work packing up the computers and some cameras that they did not keep in the van Mai laughed. "Well lets start with Monk. His name is Houshou Takigawa and is a practicing monk at his parents shrine. But lives down here in the city so that he can be in his rock band and have long hair. But as far as the ghost hunting goes and paranormal stuff he is really strong and smart and helps us out all the time on all our cases."

Setting a box on the table she looked up at him and then smiled. "Then we also work with Masako Hara the TV medium. She really can talk with the spirits and see most of them. John, is John Brown. He moved to Japan a couple of years ago, when he was nineteen. Now he is twenty one and still the youngest Catholic Priest that can perform exorcisms."

"I see. Ayako?"

Rolling her eyes Mai crossed her arms. "Ayako Matsuzaki. She is a thirty something shrine maiden and a doctor. She tries but she can only really help with certain things. We keep her around more for knowledge cause she does know some stuff."

Looking toward the two closed doors Tamaki sighed. "And them?"

"Naru, or Oliver Davis is the head of this company and makes all the choices. He can do so much that it is hard to pinpoint down to one thing he can do. Lin is the same way. But everyone will agree that they are the strongest members of the team."

"You are no slouch either ya know Mai."

Both Mai and Tamaki turned to find John and Masako walking in. Mai sighed. "I am flattered that everyone thinks I am stronger than I really am but most of my help is cause of Gene and you all know that."

"But you have strength in your dreams Mai. Your dreams tell you what happened before. And in some cases let you see who we are facing. And in the Blood Stained Labyrinth you were able to give me a physical key." Masako smiled as she stood next to John. She never thought that she would end up with him and Mai with Naru, but she was happy with the way it turned out and she and Mai were close friends now.

With a sigh as she sat down Mai crossed her arms. "I still say your faith in me is over rated."

X

Finally after everyone got there, and shocking his driver, Tamaki chose to ride with everyone else and take them back to the Sohma Hot Spring. Looking all around at the different equipment and stuff he blinked. "You can set all this stuff up outside?"

"No. We will be selecting a room for a base camp inside the spring."

Blinking Tamaki looked at him with a half glare. "Don't you remember I told you we can't get back in there! The windows won't even break. Or I would have called you and not come here."

Blinking as she looked at Naru, Mai let her head fall to the side. "He has a point if we can't get in either then how are we supposed to do that?"

"We will figure that out when we get there Mai."


	8. Chapter 8

With wide eyes Haruhi sat next to her dad as she looked at Kyo, and everyone else. She was still shocked to her very core that something like this was even possible! But then again she now understood why they kept to one side and let them have the other. But still. She only ever heard of stuff like this in the movies or in anime. Not in real life!

Looking at her Tohru sighed. Then she smiled as she stood up and grabbed her hand pulling Haruhi up with her. "Come on Haruhi. Everyone I am sure is getting hungry and I like cooking. You can come with me and I will teach you some stuff I know."

"I don't know if we should go off on our own…."

"Then we will bring your dad and also my friends Uo and Hana can come with us. Oh and Kyo can come with us. Come on." Then without another word and making everyone else rush after her, Tohru pulled Haruhi off toward the kitchen and slid the door shut.

Looking back at Haruhi and her dad she smiled her normal goofy smile. "I figured a change of scenery might be nice."

"Thanks Tohru." Haruhi then looked over at Kyo and then back to Tohru. "How did you get used to it?"

Going to the fridge and opening it, Tohru laughed as she smiled. "Well at first I thought I had done something wrong. Back then Kyo and Yuki used to fight nearly every single time they saw each other. I had only ever met Shigure and Yuki at that point. I tried to stop a fight between them and tripped falling into Kyo and turning him into a cat. Then again when I fell into Yuki and Shigure."

"So who all is what animal anyway?"

Blinking she let her head fall to the side. "I forgot to tell everyone that. Well as you know Kyo is the cat. Yukie is the rat, Shigure the dog, Hatori was born under the year of the dragon but turns into a seahorse, Kureno the rooster but he turns into a canary, Ritsu is the monkey, Hiro the lamb, Momiji is a rabbit and Haru is a cow."

"What about the girls?"

Laughing she turned with an arm full of food. "Well Rin is a horse, Kagura a boar, and Kisa is a tiger."

Dropping to her knees Haruhi sighed. "And you live with them like it is all normal?"

Laughing Arisa crossed her arms. "Well it is sort of normal for us because before Akito came out that he was born a girl and forced to act like a man and an asshole, the three of us were the only ones other than the Sohma family that knew that they were cursed."

"I see. Is that how you all met was through the Sohma family?"

Shaking her head as she laid everything out and Haruhi walked up to stand next to her. "No. Uo and I met Hana in middle school when she transferred to our school. Uo and I knew each other because of my mom."

"Your mom really?"

Nodding she giggled. "Course that was back when they were both Yankees."

Jerking his head, Ryoji gasped as he looked at Haruhi. "Wait which one was that?"

Crossing her arms with a glare, Arisa looked at him. "That would be me. Arisa Uotani. You got something wrong with that?"

Blinking he covered his face and started to laugh as he slid down the wall. He knew they were all looking at him odd. After a few moments he looked up through one cracked eye. "That isn't a bad thing at all really. It is just that….well my late wife, Haruhi's mother had a cousin that joined the Yankees a long time ago. She never liked it and tried to talk her out of it, but that was back when they were like thirteen or something like that."

Blinking with a smile again, Arisa relaxed and put one hand on her hip. "Really? I started running with them when I was young. I may know her cousin. What was her name?"

Laughing as he crossed his arms still sitting on the floor he sighed. "I never met her. I just know that once in a while, Kotoko would try to get ahold of her and no one knew where she was or what she was doing. She never knew if she left or what happened. That was a long time ago though, when they would have been teenagers. Her name was Kyoko Matusou." Hearing the three girls gasp he looked up with Haruhi and Kyo and blinked. "You all three knew her? Really?"

Looking over at Tohru who kept looking down and Kyo and Hana went to her Arisa sighed and nodded her head. "Indeed we do. All three of us. She was the Red Butterfly of the Yankees. Leader of them, no one was higher than her and no one wanted to mess with her. She was called that cause she would fly past on her bike and her tail lights looked like red butterfly wings. She was my idol and why I joined in the first place. But no sooner did I join when a few months later, she left the Yankees for good."

His eyes going wide as he stood up he looked at her in shock. "She did? Do you know why?"

Turning to him as she smiled and held Kyo's hand, Tohru laughed. "That would have been because I was born. Once I was born, she not only left the Yankees but dropped out of school to take care of me full time." Looking down at Kyo's hand she laughed. "Mom was only fourteen when I was born, but mature so far beyond that. Dad was twenty two, but he died when I was three. Mom said, he just got sick and couldn't get any better. Mom died four years ago. It wasn't long after that when I started staying with the Sohma's and only a couple of years later I ended up with Kyo, and we were engaged not long ago."

"I see." With a goofy smile as he pulled Tohru and Haruhi together he laughed. "Well this trip was good for one thing! Haruhi meet your cousin Tohru! Your mom and her mom would have been first cousins. So that makes the two of you second cousins! This has turned into a full on family reunion!"

"Dad you can let go now. Really."

Letting go of the girls he stood back and laughed as he looked at them. "Haruhi looks dead on her mom. In an old picture from when they were kids Kotoko showed me, you don't look much like Kyoko would have."

Shaking her head she went back to cooking and laughed. "I look more like dad. Least that is what mom and grandpa used to say all the time."

Nodding he sighed. "Well I think you are in good hands with a former Yankee and this fine young man here. I think I am going to go out and have a little talk with the rest of them."

Watching as he left the room Haruhi turned to Tohru and laughed. "So I guess the world is a small place after all."

Nodding Tohru laughed. "Uh huh. Come on lets get started cooking while we talk."

"Right."

"Come on Uo , Hana you can help us too. Especially you Uo since you are moving in with Kureno soon."

"Oh shut it Tohru."

With a smile as he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms, Kyo looked at Tohru with a true smile. He liked seeing her like this, and the fact that she found a cousin was a plus. It would give her someone to talk to about family stuff and get to know more about her mother's side of the family.

X

"That way. At the end of this road is the hot spring."

Looking around, Mai smiled. "This is some beautiful country side." She then looked back with a smile at Ayako who sat between Tamaki and Monk. "Which means that Ayako might actually come in handy and might be able to do something this time."

"What was that Mai!"

Laughing she closed her eyes. "Oh I am just playing with you. If you weren't useful on any case, Naru wouldn't have me call you all the time."

"All the same, Naru have you gave any thought about how we will get in? Or if we can't get in where we will do base?"

"I haven't. There is no point in figuring it out when I don't know how the hot spring is laid out. We will have to wait and see what happens when we get there."

Nodding John looked out the window and blinked. "So the Sohma family must be rich like you right Tamaki?"

Nodding as he sighed and looked down. "They are, they have many successful companies but they don't live in places like I do. I could fight whole city blocks inside one of my estates. They live in smaller homes in a compound."

"I like that idea. I hate the thought of living in a big house like that. Too much room can be bad for people. That is why when I turn eighteen next year so I can leave the country, Naru and I are going to get married in England. Then he is going to get his own house near his parents and we are going to live there." Then she blinked as she looked up at the building. "Well here we are."

"Remember Mai no running off. Last time you went missing for a few hours we nearly had to tie Naru down in a chair." Monk sighed as the car came to a stop. "You are getting stronger but you aren't strong enough to go off on your own like that yet and you need to listen." Looking up at it as he stepped out, he blinked. "This is modest. Nearly looks like home at the shrine."


	9. Chapter 9

Looking up at the hot spring then back to Monk, Mai let her head fall to the side as she stood there with Naru. "Really your mom and dad's place looks like this?"

"Not exactly like this, more shrine like but the same basic set up. This just doesn't have Buddha all over the place."

Standing there next to Naru she blinked as she looked around. It had a strange vibe about it. "I do get a strange vibe about it."

"That is not surprising."

Everyone turned to see a very shaken Masako standing with her arms wrapped tightly around one of John's. Mai blinked. "What is it? What do you see?"

Her eyes wide she was shaking. Masako had seen some different types of spirits in her career and her life. But these were not your typical spirit. One second they would look like normal humans and then the next they would be an animal! "I don't know what I am seeing. So many spirits are here, if I had to guess I would say hundreds. One second they are typical human spirits, the next they are animals."

"Animals?"

Looking up at john she nodded. "Horses, cows, dogs, rats, monkeys. But there are some that scare me."

Turning and hugging her fully to him, John looked at the top of her head. "Scare you how Masako?"

"Three forms. A human, a cat and then some sort of a demon." She clung to his clothes, with his arms around her she felt somewhat safe but this still scared her.

"The way she is shaking Naru they must be rather dark."

Shaking her head she still shook. "Not all of them. Even the cat ones are not. But there is one that is rather dark and angry. He doesn't have more than one form, but is dressed like an ancient Emperor."

With a sigh Naru took Mai's hand and headed for the door. "In any event lets see if the door will open so we can go inside." Just as he reached the door, he stopped and jerked his hand back, and jerked Mai around behind him. "It is ice cold. I can feel the cold before I touch it."

Mai looked around then she gasped as she went pale. It was the same sensation at their 'Dollhouse' case. Something was holding her. Her hand gripping his tighter as her other shot up and grabbed Naru's shirt she started shaking. "Something has a hold of me. It has a hold of my ankle."

Looking at her then over at Masako he narrowed his eyes. "Miss Hara?"

"I see nothing holding her."

"It is like at…" Then she let out a scream as whatever it was jerked her up in the air over everyone. "Naru!"

Before Naru could react she was pulled through the air and then dropped with a loud scream into water!

X

Hearing a girl scream, everyone jerked their heads up with a gasp. Then a splash, they all ran for the hot spring to see a girl now flowing on her back in the hot spring! Tohru gasped. "Someone get her out of there!"

"I am on it." Takashi then took his shirt off and dove into the hot spring getting the girl and lifting her out of the spring.

Hatori went to them and looked in her eyes. They were dialated but she seemed to be alright. "She seems alright. Take her to the sitting room and lay her down. I will see what I can do to wake her up."

"Right."

But then that was when the heard the pounding on the front door and the window. Kyo left the group and ran around to see there were more people out there and the blond guy. "Hey is she with you?"

Slamming his hand on the window Naru glared. "Is she alright?"

"Yeah basically. She is out like a light. She was in the hot spring. Who are you guys? And what happened?"

"We are ghost hunters that the blond one hired to see what is going on here. And she was lifted by her ankle and apparently dropped into the water. Where is she?"

Kyo looked into his blue eyes for a second. They had the same worry in them that his would have if something like that would have happened to Tohru. "They are in the side room. It has four floor length windows in it and a balcony on the other side. We can't get to the balcony, the door won't open, but you will be able to see her."

"What side?"

"Left."

Before the kid could move Lin knocked on the window. "Hey kid. We have equipment that we need to set up. Is there any building on the outside of here that we can use?"

"The storage shed right over there isn't connected and it has electricity. But tell me if you are like the ghost hunters I watch on TV," Crossing his arms he sighed as he narrowed his eyes. "You know you can't get in and we can't get out how is your stuff going to get in here?"

"We will figure that out soon as I get the cameras set up." Lin turned and looked at everyone. Monk, John you help me get the TV's set up and the computers. Miss Hara and Miss Matsuzaki go with Naru."

"That the other guy?"

Going to the van and opening the back of it Lin didn't even grace the kid with a glance. "Yes."

"Alright then. Geese you don't have to be a stuck up asshole about it." Kyo then rubbed his neck as he walked in the room and sighed. "They are going to use the storage shed for stuff. But I don't know how they expect to get the rest of it in here." 

"We will figure something out." Naru kept his worried eyes on Mai. "I am Oliver Davis and the head of Shibuya Psychic Research here in Japan. As everyone else does you can simply refer to me as Naru."

"Naru?"

"The other tall guy said she calls him that."

Tohru looked down at the girl and sighed. She didn't know how to wake her up. But it was something different. It was like she was there but she wasn't. "What is her name?"

"Mai. Mai Taniyama."

X

Sitting up Mai gasped and her eyes were wide with her heart pounding. She looked around and saw so many people looking at her. But she didn't see anyone she knew, and Gene wasn't here. "Where am I? Can you guys hear me?"

Stepping forth, Kazu sighed as he closed his eyes. "Young Lady we have tried to slip into the minds of everyone here and haven't done it. We chose you, because we saw the soul that was right next to you and sensed he could speak to you this way."

"Who are you? What do you want?"

With a smile as he bowed, Kazu sighed. "We are all Sohma. Every single one of us. You see, I am sure Tohru will tell you and show you when you wake up, but the Sohma family is cursed. She will detail it, in spirit we cannot. Please. We will leave all the clues we can exactly why we will not let them leave, you must make sure they know not to take it at face value for it will all have meanings."

Standing up now she looked up into his red and gentle eyes. "I can do that but you have to let us at least come and go."

"They have to stay."

"Can't you just like put up a barrier or something that will let me, and the ones outside go in and out so we can set up the equipment. A lot of stuff you can do we can't hear or see but our cameras and stuff will." Mai didn't realize she was almost screaming until the end of what she was saying.

"You seem to really want to help."

"That is what we do. We figure out why a ghost is somewhere, what they want or need so they can pass on and don't leave until they do that." She smiled as she let her head fall to the side. "I am Mai Taniyama."

"I would tell you my name however I cannot. Just I am a Sohma. But we cannot do that. However, the wall to the hot spring. They can throw things over that to you and the ones here. " He then jumped and jerked around when there was a loud booming noise. "Go back to them now. And please remember this as more than a dream."


End file.
